Zangeki no REGINLEIV is an up and coming game published by Nintendo and developed by Sandlot (Earth Defense Force series). The game promises epic battles featuring mammoth-sized monsters and foes. The game is notable as it's the first Cero D-rated game from Nintendo in Japan as far as I'm aware of. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but first, watch the immense sense of scale you'll get from the many enemies the game throws at you. Here's hoping for a North American release.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
December 2009 NPD Results
December is traditionally the biggest month for sales in the gaming industry. Let's see how the combatants shaped up last month. To check out previous month totals, just type in "NPD" in the search bar.
PlayStation 2 333.2K
PlayStation 3 1.36M
PSP 654.7K
Xbox 360 1.31M
Wii 3.81M
Nintendo DS 3.31M
NEW SUPER MARIO BROS. WII WII NINTENDO OF AMERICA Nov-09 2.82M
WII FIT PLUS* WII NINTENDO OF AMERICA Oct-09 2.41M
WII SPORTS RESORT W/ WII MOTION PLUS* WII NINTENDO OF AMERICA Jul-09 1.79M
CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 2* 360 ACTIVISION BLIZZARD Nov-09 1.63M
CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 2* PS3 ACTIVISION BLIZZARD Nov-09 1.12M
WII PLAY W/ REMOTE WII NINTENDO OF AMERICA Feb-07 1.01M
MARIO KART W/ WHEEL WII NINTENDO OF AMERICA Apr-08 936.1K
ASSASSIN'S CREED II 360 UBISOFT Nov-09 783.1K
LEFT 4 DEAD 2 360 ELECTRONIC ARTS Nov-09 728.5K
MARIO & LUIGI: BOWSER'S INSIDE STORY NDS NINTENDO OF AMERICA Sep-09 656.7K
I'm just floored by the Wii sales-- a record-breaking month for Wii and DS easily. Even with announcements of third parties cutting back on Wii development-- on the market-leading console no less, the Wii is selling high and mighty. Just shows how messed up this generation is with third parties, no? Nearly four million in sales, just over three million for the DS. Meanwhile, the PS3 had a terrific month selling over a million as did the 360 which came in third place in the console wars this month. Meanwhile, the PSP treads water with over a half million units sold.
Software sales-wise, New Super Mario Bros. Wii outsells both versions of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Could the president of Nintendo of America be right in his prediction? We'll find out next month on that. Nintendo titles once again dominate the top ten showing at least one company rocking it hard in North America. Other titles include Assassin's Creed II, the excellent Left 4 Dead 2, and the Call of Duty games.
PlayStation 2 333.2K
PlayStation 3 1.36M
PSP 654.7K
Xbox 360 1.31M
Wii 3.81M
Nintendo DS 3.31M
NEW SUPER MARIO BROS. WII WII NINTENDO OF AMERICA Nov-09 2.82M
WII FIT PLUS* WII NINTENDO OF AMERICA Oct-09 2.41M
WII SPORTS RESORT W/ WII MOTION PLUS* WII NINTENDO OF AMERICA Jul-09 1.79M
CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 2* 360 ACTIVISION BLIZZARD Nov-09 1.63M
CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 2* PS3 ACTIVISION BLIZZARD Nov-09 1.12M
WII PLAY W/ REMOTE WII NINTENDO OF AMERICA Feb-07 1.01M
MARIO KART W/ WHEEL WII NINTENDO OF AMERICA Apr-08 936.1K
ASSASSIN'S CREED II 360 UBISOFT Nov-09 783.1K
LEFT 4 DEAD 2 360 ELECTRONIC ARTS Nov-09 728.5K
MARIO & LUIGI: BOWSER'S INSIDE STORY NDS NINTENDO OF AMERICA Sep-09 656.7K
I'm just floored by the Wii sales-- a record-breaking month for Wii and DS easily. Even with announcements of third parties cutting back on Wii development-- on the market-leading console no less, the Wii is selling high and mighty. Just shows how messed up this generation is with third parties, no? Nearly four million in sales, just over three million for the DS. Meanwhile, the PS3 had a terrific month selling over a million as did the 360 which came in third place in the console wars this month. Meanwhile, the PSP treads water with over a half million units sold.
Software sales-wise, New Super Mario Bros. Wii outsells both versions of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Could the president of Nintendo of America be right in his prediction? We'll find out next month on that. Nintendo titles once again dominate the top ten showing at least one company rocking it hard in North America. Other titles include Assassin's Creed II, the excellent Left 4 Dead 2, and the Call of Duty games.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Introducing the Terrible Trio...
I introduce to you the terrible three-- three of the worst pieces of video game garbage that I've played in the past decade. They're a chore to play through, they have next to no redeeming qualities if any, and they're on the cusp of just falling into gaming Hell. So what three titles are some of the worst I've had the misfortune of playing? Put on your $@$% boots. We're going to be stepping in a lot of it.
Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) (PS3, 360)
What was supposed to be a return to form for the blue blur was anything but. Shipped out to retailers as an unfinished product, this game is the most disappointing on my list. I loved Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Heroes-- heck-- even Shadow the Hedgehog, but nothing could prepare me for the sheer bowl of butt nuggets that was Sonic the Hedgehog's 2006 outing. The enemies weren't the badniks or whatever the Eggman robots are called. No, it was the glitches and bugs that were the true villains of the game. And those mach speed sections were nothing but absolute frustration as the physics were so wonky, you'd fly off the screen into nothingness. The only positive I can surmise from this title is the excellent soundtrack, but that's sort of like listening to your favorite song while you're getting your face punched in. Don't ask me how I know this. Just accept and move on.
YuYu Hakusho: Dark Tournament (PS2)
Coming off the great Dragon Ball Z Budokai franchise, the team moved onto the YuYu Hakusho series, a much less popular bishounen anime. What players received was some of the worst fighting controls I've ever had the displeasure of playing with. In normal fighting games, you hit a bunch of buttons and whatever button you hit first is the action your character performs. In Dark Tournament, every button you tap, your character will do. So if you hit punch, kick, punch, kick, punch, punch, kick, kick, punch, special punch, special kick, punch, punch, punch, kick within the span of three seconds, your character will perform all of those moves which takes about ten seconds for him or her to actually do. It makes combat in this game incredibly arduous to do! You have to worry about tapping the wrong button, blocking at the wrong time, and just a general cluster%#$% of wrong button inputs. I remember breaking a controller playing this game-- just being so freaking frustrated at this piece of pummeled poop.
Ninjabread Man (Wii, PS2, PC)
The Wii is notoriously known as the shovelware console. Sure, it has its great classics and awesome games, but it's a pain in the proverbial butt to find them under all the sheer amount of crap that covers Wii store shelves. I rented Ninjabread Man on the off-chance of seeing how horrible the game was. It had a funny premise-- a gingerbread man as a ninja. Cool enough. How could they possibly screw this up? Firstly, the motion controls are wonky at best. Trying to attack is like trying to win at one of those slot machines-- it's just luck. The platforming is generally acceptable, but it's nothing to write home about. I think the biggest problem with the game is that it's just three levels long. That's it. No story, no "the end", not even "a winner is you"-- nothing! You play for less than forty-five minutes, and the treacherous journey of Ninjabread Man is over. To those children out there who got Ninjabread Man as a birthday, Christmas, or any other kind of gift, I salute you. Your ruined lives will not be forgotten, dammit.
So I've spilled my guts on three horrid pieces of garbage I wasted money buying (Sonic) or renting (YuYu and Ninjabread Man). Now it's your turn. Tell us what games you think are the worst you've ever played. I'm not talking crap like "Killzone 2 becuz i want 2 troll!!! lololol", I mean truly bad games! Let us know in the comments section.
Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) (PS3, 360)
What was supposed to be a return to form for the blue blur was anything but. Shipped out to retailers as an unfinished product, this game is the most disappointing on my list. I loved Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Heroes-- heck-- even Shadow the Hedgehog, but nothing could prepare me for the sheer bowl of butt nuggets that was Sonic the Hedgehog's 2006 outing. The enemies weren't the badniks or whatever the Eggman robots are called. No, it was the glitches and bugs that were the true villains of the game. And those mach speed sections were nothing but absolute frustration as the physics were so wonky, you'd fly off the screen into nothingness. The only positive I can surmise from this title is the excellent soundtrack, but that's sort of like listening to your favorite song while you're getting your face punched in. Don't ask me how I know this. Just accept and move on.
YuYu Hakusho: Dark Tournament (PS2)
Coming off the great Dragon Ball Z Budokai franchise, the team moved onto the YuYu Hakusho series, a much less popular bishounen anime. What players received was some of the worst fighting controls I've ever had the displeasure of playing with. In normal fighting games, you hit a bunch of buttons and whatever button you hit first is the action your character performs. In Dark Tournament, every button you tap, your character will do. So if you hit punch, kick, punch, kick, punch, punch, kick, kick, punch, special punch, special kick, punch, punch, punch, kick within the span of three seconds, your character will perform all of those moves which takes about ten seconds for him or her to actually do. It makes combat in this game incredibly arduous to do! You have to worry about tapping the wrong button, blocking at the wrong time, and just a general cluster%#$% of wrong button inputs. I remember breaking a controller playing this game-- just being so freaking frustrated at this piece of pummeled poop.
Ninjabread Man (Wii, PS2, PC)
The Wii is notoriously known as the shovelware console. Sure, it has its great classics and awesome games, but it's a pain in the proverbial butt to find them under all the sheer amount of crap that covers Wii store shelves. I rented Ninjabread Man on the off-chance of seeing how horrible the game was. It had a funny premise-- a gingerbread man as a ninja. Cool enough. How could they possibly screw this up? Firstly, the motion controls are wonky at best. Trying to attack is like trying to win at one of those slot machines-- it's just luck. The platforming is generally acceptable, but it's nothing to write home about. I think the biggest problem with the game is that it's just three levels long. That's it. No story, no "the end", not even "a winner is you"-- nothing! You play for less than forty-five minutes, and the treacherous journey of Ninjabread Man is over. To those children out there who got Ninjabread Man as a birthday, Christmas, or any other kind of gift, I salute you. Your ruined lives will not be forgotten, dammit.
So I've spilled my guts on three horrid pieces of garbage I wasted money buying (Sonic) or renting (YuYu and Ninjabread Man). Now it's your turn. Tell us what games you think are the worst you've ever played. I'm not talking crap like "Killzone 2 becuz i want 2 troll!!! lololol", I mean truly bad games! Let us know in the comments section.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
A Decade in Gaming - Games of the Year
Recently on Everyview, the gang listed their favorite games of the past decade with yours truly leading off. This gave me the idea to go through the past decade and list off what game I think is my personal favorite of each year. Let's start this off with the year 2000, shall we?
2000 - Perfect Dark (N64)
We start off the decade with the spiritual successor to Goldeneye 007, Perfect Dark, which brought even more to the table. This first-person shooter still trumps many current day offers in gameplay, accessibility, and options. The single-player is fun, but the multi-player is truly where it's at. With up to eight bots of different personalities, customizable weapons, teams, and modes, and a host of large, expansive arenas, Perfect Dark still remains my favorite FPS period. Catch it when it an updated version hits Xbox Live Arcade sometime this winter.
2001 - Super Smash Bros. Melee (GCN)
The all-star brawl is one with Super Smash Bros. Melee. Compared to Brawl, Melee is much faster, but whether it's more fun is a small matter of opinion. (Brawl rules!) Filled with 25 characters, numerous themed arenas, items, and spanning several decades of Nintendo history with the addition of trophies, and you have one game that seemingly has it all. Who knew that Brawl would come out and have even more content and options?!
2002 - Metroid Prime (GCN)
When Metroid was announced to be entering the first-person genre, many gamers felt worried, suspicious, skeptical, cautious, apprehensive about the news. Thankfully, their shaky feelings would be put to rest once they played what would be called Metroid Prime. Retro Studios successfully translated 2-D Metroid into the third dimension, and they did so with glorious style. There were plenty of secrets to find, lands to explore such as the icy and ever-popular Phendrana Drifts, computers to scan, bosses to battle, and enemies to take down.
2003 - Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando (PS2)
Going Commando was and still is my first ever entry into the Ratchet & Clank franchise. It's an action-platformer with tight emphasis on the platforming part. There's a myriad of powerful weaponry to use, and as they're used they level up in strength and efficiency. The lovable duo of Ratchet and Clank are hilarious together as is the story. The locales are memorable, the game's difficulty is just right, and there's plenty of content to unlock, places to see, things to do.
2004 - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2, Xbox, PC)
Hot coffee, anyone? While I never got the chance to see this mod, I appreciated Rockstar's San Andreas all the same. The state of San Andreas was absolutely huge with three major cities, badlands, and a countryside. There was plenty of fun missions with enough variety to keep players coming back for more. It was almost overwhelming how much there was to the greatness that is Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Who doesn't love leaping out of a plane and falling to the ground without the safety of a parachute?
2005 - Resident Evil 4 (Wii, GCN, PS2, PC)
Resident Evil 4 reinvented the franchise, but what did I know? This was my first Resident Evil. It got me interested in the series in the first place. Perhaps had I played the earlier games, I'd be even more impressed with RE4. It ditched the tank controls and fixed camera views for an over the shoulder perspective that many current and future games utilize. It had massive creatures to take down, chainsaw-wielding wackos to avoid, and enough thrills to last the whole year.
2006 - Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (PS2)
A remake of Snake Eater, Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence is a PlayStation 2 exclusive title that takes the MGS franchise into a whole new perspective. No longer will you have to deal with fixed camera angles as Snake has slid his way into a free-roaming camera. It makes surveying the land much easier without breaking the game entirely. Add in two classic Metal Gear titles, the opportunity to watch cinematics at any time, and one of the best tales in the Metal Gear Solid franchise, and there are your reasons why MGS Subsistence is 2006's Game of the Year.
2007 - Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)
This is the big one. Not only is it the Game of the Year, but I'd go as far to call it the Game of the Decade. But enough Game of the... talk. Let's see why Super Mario Galaxy is so great. Well, playing is believing, and that holds true with Galaxy. Mario controls tightly, the levels are colorful and well-crafted, the cinematics are absolutely gorgeous, and the musical score is orchestrated with great care. No other game this generation has given me more "wow" moments than Super Mario Galaxy. That definitely says something about this great game.
2008 - LittleBigPlanet (PS3)
Play, Create, Share-- it is the mantra of the LittleBigPlanet series. Play the pre-packaged levels, create your own masterpieces, and share them with the world. It's a happening community that is still going strong a year after release with new downloadable content and updates. The platforming may be too floaty to some, but for me it's absolutely perfect. It's very rewarding creating your own levels, and then having total strangers give their advice and comments on. It's very cool, and Media Molecule created a fantastic game.
2009 - New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)
The most recent Game of the Year recipient is New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Not only is a terrific return to 2-D form, but it still possesses that Mario charm from the original games. The multi-player is a blast to play with up to four people either saving each others' hides or costing one anothers' lives. The level design is some of the best the series has ever seen with rotating blocks, great enemy placement, and a consistent number of new challenges each level. Nobody does it better than Mario, and nobody else is 2009's Game of the Year.
What were your favorite games of the past decade? Let us know in the comments section!
2000 - Perfect Dark (N64)
We start off the decade with the spiritual successor to Goldeneye 007, Perfect Dark, which brought even more to the table. This first-person shooter still trumps many current day offers in gameplay, accessibility, and options. The single-player is fun, but the multi-player is truly where it's at. With up to eight bots of different personalities, customizable weapons, teams, and modes, and a host of large, expansive arenas, Perfect Dark still remains my favorite FPS period. Catch it when it an updated version hits Xbox Live Arcade sometime this winter.
2001 - Super Smash Bros. Melee (GCN)
The all-star brawl is one with Super Smash Bros. Melee. Compared to Brawl, Melee is much faster, but whether it's more fun is a small matter of opinion. (Brawl rules!) Filled with 25 characters, numerous themed arenas, items, and spanning several decades of Nintendo history with the addition of trophies, and you have one game that seemingly has it all. Who knew that Brawl would come out and have even more content and options?!
2002 - Metroid Prime (GCN)
When Metroid was announced to be entering the first-person genre, many gamers felt worried, suspicious, skeptical, cautious, apprehensive about the news. Thankfully, their shaky feelings would be put to rest once they played what would be called Metroid Prime. Retro Studios successfully translated 2-D Metroid into the third dimension, and they did so with glorious style. There were plenty of secrets to find, lands to explore such as the icy and ever-popular Phendrana Drifts, computers to scan, bosses to battle, and enemies to take down.
2003 - Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando (PS2)
Going Commando was and still is my first ever entry into the Ratchet & Clank franchise. It's an action-platformer with tight emphasis on the platforming part. There's a myriad of powerful weaponry to use, and as they're used they level up in strength and efficiency. The lovable duo of Ratchet and Clank are hilarious together as is the story. The locales are memorable, the game's difficulty is just right, and there's plenty of content to unlock, places to see, things to do.
2004 - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2, Xbox, PC)
Hot coffee, anyone? While I never got the chance to see this mod, I appreciated Rockstar's San Andreas all the same. The state of San Andreas was absolutely huge with three major cities, badlands, and a countryside. There was plenty of fun missions with enough variety to keep players coming back for more. It was almost overwhelming how much there was to the greatness that is Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Who doesn't love leaping out of a plane and falling to the ground without the safety of a parachute?
2005 - Resident Evil 4 (Wii, GCN, PS2, PC)
Resident Evil 4 reinvented the franchise, but what did I know? This was my first Resident Evil. It got me interested in the series in the first place. Perhaps had I played the earlier games, I'd be even more impressed with RE4. It ditched the tank controls and fixed camera views for an over the shoulder perspective that many current and future games utilize. It had massive creatures to take down, chainsaw-wielding wackos to avoid, and enough thrills to last the whole year.
2006 - Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (PS2)
A remake of Snake Eater, Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence is a PlayStation 2 exclusive title that takes the MGS franchise into a whole new perspective. No longer will you have to deal with fixed camera angles as Snake has slid his way into a free-roaming camera. It makes surveying the land much easier without breaking the game entirely. Add in two classic Metal Gear titles, the opportunity to watch cinematics at any time, and one of the best tales in the Metal Gear Solid franchise, and there are your reasons why MGS Subsistence is 2006's Game of the Year.
2007 - Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)
This is the big one. Not only is it the Game of the Year, but I'd go as far to call it the Game of the Decade. But enough Game of the... talk. Let's see why Super Mario Galaxy is so great. Well, playing is believing, and that holds true with Galaxy. Mario controls tightly, the levels are colorful and well-crafted, the cinematics are absolutely gorgeous, and the musical score is orchestrated with great care. No other game this generation has given me more "wow" moments than Super Mario Galaxy. That definitely says something about this great game.
2008 - LittleBigPlanet (PS3)
Play, Create, Share-- it is the mantra of the LittleBigPlanet series. Play the pre-packaged levels, create your own masterpieces, and share them with the world. It's a happening community that is still going strong a year after release with new downloadable content and updates. The platforming may be too floaty to some, but for me it's absolutely perfect. It's very rewarding creating your own levels, and then having total strangers give their advice and comments on. It's very cool, and Media Molecule created a fantastic game.
2009 - New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)
The most recent Game of the Year recipient is New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Not only is a terrific return to 2-D form, but it still possesses that Mario charm from the original games. The multi-player is a blast to play with up to four people either saving each others' hides or costing one anothers' lives. The level design is some of the best the series has ever seen with rotating blocks, great enemy placement, and a consistent number of new challenges each level. Nobody does it better than Mario, and nobody else is 2009's Game of the Year.
What were your favorite games of the past decade? Let us know in the comments section!
Monday, January 11, 2010
SuperPhillip's Favorite VGMs - RPG-O-Rama Edition
This week on the VGMs we have an entire list of songs from RPGs. Whether it's Final Fantasy or Star Ocean, there's sure to be something to enjoy listening to. So let's have it! Start listening!
v466. Star Ocean: The Second Story/Second Evolution - Theme of RENA
Whether you call it The Second Story or know it better as Second Evolution, the second Star Ocean is one of my favorite RPGs. This version of the Theme of RENA comes from the arranged Star Ocean 2 soundtrack. It's a haunting and powerful theme, don't you think?
v467. Tales of Symphonia - The Land of Sylvarant
Tales of Symphonia was a glorious gift to the RPG-thirsty Gamecube and its owners. It had everything: a fun cast, great gameplay, and of course, a wonderful soundtrack. Tales of Symphonia took place on two worlds. This theme plays on the overworld map of the first world, Sylvarant.
v468. Eternal Sonata - Pyroxene of the Heart
Here is the opening theme of the often overlooked HD RPG, Eternal Sonata. Once again, we have music composed by the great Motoi Sakuraba. This is the second theme we've come across from this game on our journey through my favorite video game tracks. Are you enjoying the ride?
v469. Final Fantasy X - Blitz Off!
Blitz Off! This is the theme that plays during a round of Zanarkand's favorite pastime, blitzball. Think of the sport as soccer, except you can use your hands... and you're underwater in a sphere. Regardless, this rockin' song is sure to put anyone in the mood for the fictional sport.
v470. Golden Sun - Venus Lighthouse
Venus Lighthouse is the final dungeon of Golden Sun. It's a towering level full of puzzles and peril. Once again, Motoi Sakuraba comes to the rescue with this soundtrack. He hits it out of the park. Golden Sun was a great portable RPG, and I really look forward to the third installment.
Next week we go from RPGs to platformers when SuperPhillip's VGMs return. Catch you next Monday!
v466. Star Ocean: The Second Story/Second Evolution - Theme of RENA
Whether you call it The Second Story or know it better as Second Evolution, the second Star Ocean is one of my favorite RPGs. This version of the Theme of RENA comes from the arranged Star Ocean 2 soundtrack. It's a haunting and powerful theme, don't you think?
v467. Tales of Symphonia - The Land of Sylvarant
Tales of Symphonia was a glorious gift to the RPG-thirsty Gamecube and its owners. It had everything: a fun cast, great gameplay, and of course, a wonderful soundtrack. Tales of Symphonia took place on two worlds. This theme plays on the overworld map of the first world, Sylvarant.
v468. Eternal Sonata - Pyroxene of the Heart
Here is the opening theme of the often overlooked HD RPG, Eternal Sonata. Once again, we have music composed by the great Motoi Sakuraba. This is the second theme we've come across from this game on our journey through my favorite video game tracks. Are you enjoying the ride?
v469. Final Fantasy X - Blitz Off!
Blitz Off! This is the theme that plays during a round of Zanarkand's favorite pastime, blitzball. Think of the sport as soccer, except you can use your hands... and you're underwater in a sphere. Regardless, this rockin' song is sure to put anyone in the mood for the fictional sport.
v470. Golden Sun - Venus Lighthouse
Venus Lighthouse is the final dungeon of Golden Sun. It's a towering level full of puzzles and peril. Once again, Motoi Sakuraba comes to the rescue with this soundtrack. He hits it out of the park. Golden Sun was a great portable RPG, and I really look forward to the third installment.
Next week we go from RPGs to platformers when SuperPhillip's VGMs return. Catch you next Monday!
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